alessandro_bard (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
alessandro_bard) wrote2009-09-13 05:10 pm
alessandro_bard) wrote2009-09-13 05:10 pm
Railbike success
So I took the railbike out for a ride today.
Here's what the railbike is like, as of earlier this afternoon:
Now, picture me actually getting on this (only somewhat wobbly) creation and riding it. Now, you must realize no locomotives are going to sneak up on me, since I'm starting at the literal end of the tracks:
I rode from Zayante School Road down to Graham Hill road (where Roaring Camp is) and back, for a distance of something over 4 miles. Grade crossings (where a road crosses the track) are a bit of a pain. I pretty much have to carry the rear two wheels. The mechanism for raising the guide wheels makes things unstable, so it had to be eliminated.
The quality of the tracks varies considerably. If the railbike can handle these tracks, they can handle just about anything. Some of the rails are so worn they have feathered the inside edge, other places the gauge varies by over an inch (!), while sometimes the rail itself is so embrittled from use that the edges are flaking off.
Farther down the hill, the track quality improves significantly and the bike is much faster there. The lousy track at the top was rather rough and really chewed up the slides and guide wheels.
At this point, I'm a little worn out due to the many grade crossings and the fact that I've been on my feet for a few days now. Time for a bit of a rest, and more drawing board action. More to come...
Here's what the railbike is like, as of earlier this afternoon:
Now, picture me actually getting on this (only somewhat wobbly) creation and riding it. Now, you must realize no locomotives are going to sneak up on me, since I'm starting at the literal end of the tracks:
I rode from Zayante School Road down to Graham Hill road (where Roaring Camp is) and back, for a distance of something over 4 miles. Grade crossings (where a road crosses the track) are a bit of a pain. I pretty much have to carry the rear two wheels. The mechanism for raising the guide wheels makes things unstable, so it had to be eliminated.
The quality of the tracks varies considerably. If the railbike can handle these tracks, they can handle just about anything. Some of the rails are so worn they have feathered the inside edge, other places the gauge varies by over an inch (!), while sometimes the rail itself is so embrittled from use that the edges are flaking off.
Farther down the hill, the track quality improves significantly and the bike is much faster there. The lousy track at the top was rather rough and really chewed up the slides and guide wheels.
At this point, I'm a little worn out due to the many grade crossings and the fact that I've been on my feet for a few days now. Time for a bit of a rest, and more drawing board action. More to come...
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You've even got time to spiff it up before the competition, if you want. You know, some spoke LEDs or other silliness. I'll think about it and give you some ideas that will probably be a lot of work. :-)
Branwen wants to come with us to the regatta. This is going to be great!
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